Jefferson's "Wall of Separation" (church and state)

[Dover]

1802 Newspaper JEFFERSON with historic Church & State Letter: "...Wall of Separation..."

Here is the complete, ABSOLUTELY GENUINE issue of the AURORA GENERAL ADVERTISER newspaper from Philadelphia dated February 1, 1802, published by Benjamin Franklin Bache, the grandson of Ben Franklin. This issue was printed on Ben Franklin's printing press.

This is one of the more historic & rare newspapers I have come across in my 28 years in the business, as page 2 contains the very historic letter, signed in type by the President: THOMAS JEFFERSON, to the Danbury Baptist Association, which contains the now-famous phrase: "...a wall of separation between church and state..." (see the photos below). If you are not able to read the text in the photos, here it is:

"The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist Association, gave me the highest satisfaction; my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, and in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing. Believing with you, that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;" thus building a wall of separation between church and state. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation, in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural rights in opposition to his social duties. I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and belessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you, for yourselves, and your Religious Association, assurances of my high respect and esteem. THOMAS JEFFERSON. Jan. 1, 1802"

This phrase is still referenced today in discussion about the first part of the First Amendment as Jefferson wrote above: "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or respecting the free speech thereof...". This newspaper contains the letter with that very phrase. Although we knew of this letter, for 28 years we had searched through many 1802 bound volumes which have come into our inventory and were never able to find this report. We had all but given up hope that it ever appeared in a newspaper. A recent correspondence from an authority noted he had been in touch with Jefferson scholars and none of them had seen this letter in a period newspaper. To my knowledge this is the only newspaper to contain this letter, but it is possible others may eventually turn up.

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[ET Awful]

1. Why do I have this strange vision of some Freeper. . .

buying this and disappearing it down the memory hole?

[UTUSN]

2. I'm Sending This to O'REILLY

The current condition of religious fundamentalism of all stripes is chipping away at "separation of church and state". I'm sending this to O'REILLY, who witches about "secularism" (among the so-many-other-things he witches about).

P.S. Using "witch" in the non-Nature sense.

P.P.S. I learn so much at DU.